Documents considered by the Committee on 19 January 2011 - European Scrutiny Committee Contents

12 Honeybee health

(32335)

17608/10

COM(10) 714

Commission Communication on Honeybee Health

Legal base



Document originated

6 December 2010

Deposited in Parliament

13 December 2010

Department

Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Basis of consideration

EM of 21 December 2010

Previous Committee Report

None

To be discussed in Council

No date set

Committee's assessment

Politically important

Committee's decision

Cleared

Background

12.1 The Commission says that, because bees play an important
role in both pollination and the production of honey, the EU has
established certain harmonised rules to protect and maintain their
health, with Member States being free to regulate other aspects
of beekeeping. It observes that this system worked successfully
for many years, but that there has recently been an increase in
bee mortality in several countries within and outside the EU.
As a result, beekeeping organisations have  with the support
of the European Parliament  called for more focus on this
issue, and the Commission has therefore put forward this Communication
to clarify the key issues and the actions which it intends to
take to address them.

The current document

12.2 The Commission says that annual EU honey production is about
200,000 tonnes, and that beekeeping is a widely-developed activity,
with around 700,000 beekeepers, of which about 3% are classed
as professional[49] (and
which account for about one-third of production). It notes that,
together with other insects, bees are important pollinators, and
it says that, in considering the sector, account needs to be taken
of the different kinds of beekeeping, the significant difference
between bee health and technology when compared with animals such
as cattle and poultry, different regional characteristics, and
the distribution of diseases.

12.3 As regards bee health, the Commission points
out that, in the past decade, several problems have affected the
sector in different countries worldwide, but it adds that, although
this has led to serious concern, scientific studies have not been
able to determine the exact cause or extent. However, it suggests
that bee health is linked to many different bacterial, viral or
parasitic factors; the availability of suitable treatment, the
presence of invasive species; and environmental changes, including
the use of pesticides in agriculture (though it has so far found
no evidence of any link with genetically modified organisms).

12.4 The Commission goes on to look at the EU animal
health framework as it applies to bees. It notes that the legislation
in force provides for animal health certification and requirement
for movements of bees between Member States, intended to prevent
or control a number of bee diseases,[50]
but that it does not cover an important bee parasite (Varroa),
which is present and well established in the EU, because restricting
bee movements would be a considerable burden on beekeepers without
limiting its spread. The Commission also notes that, since 2000,
there have been restrictions on imports of live bees from third
countries, with checks being carried out at veterinary border
inspection posts. It points out that it is currently preparing
a proposal for a single "Animal Health Law", which will
over time replace the current basic veterinary legislation of
almost 60 Directives and Regulations, and is intended to introduce
a more preventive approach to disease control: and it says that
veterinarians and beekeepers have repeatedly mentioned bee health
as one of the areas which could benefit from further EU harmonisation.

12.5 The Commission then addresses a number of more
specific issues:

Scientific and technical knowledge

The Commission observes that the problems of the
sector and the decline in the bee population are complex and diverse,
but that, as no direct causal links have been established, it
is still unclear what should be done to combat this. However,
it suggests that surveillance plays a major part, and it notes
that a recent project[51]
by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) indicates that the
systems operated by Member States are in general weak, with a
lack of standardisation and harmonisation as regards the data
collected. It says that it therefore intends to start a pilot
surveillance programme by the end of 2011.

EU Reference Laboratory for bee health

The Commission points out that EU Reference Laboratories
are essential for animal health risk management, in that they
provide the scientifically sound and uniform testing needed for
reliable disease diagnosis and the application of the necessary
control and eradication measures, including the standardisation
of analytical methods in the international arena. It says that
it therefore intends to designate an EU Reference Laboratory for
bee health, which should become operational by April 2011, and
which will be tasked with addressing scientific issues identified
in the EFSA report (and which will provide technical support to
the pilot surveillance programme).

Improved knowledge on bee health

The Commission says that the focus on bee health
has been stepped up as part of the Better Training for Safer Food
initiative, with 160 participants from all Member States and seven
non-EU countries having taken part during 2010 and 2011 in a number
of training courses.

Availability of veterinary medicines for
bees

The Commission says that beekeeper associations believe
that there are not enough medicinal products available to treat
diseases in bees, largely because the market is small and the
expected investment return low. It says that the European Medicines
Agency has taken a number of measures aimed at promoting innovation
and the development of new products, and that this area will be
considered in the context of a wider review of the legal framework
for medicines which have minor uses and/or apply to minor species.

Food safety aspects

The Commission points out that, where there is no
authorised veterinary medicinal product in a Member State for
a condition affecting an animal species, Member States have to
ensure that measures exist allowing a veterinarian to use medicines
off-label within strict limits. However, it notes that, in such
cases, there are no clear rules on Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs),
which creates legal uncertainties for both producers and consumers,
and can lead to potential disruption of the internal market for
honey. Consequently, it intends to adopt MRLs for such substances

Pesticides

The Commission notes that a new Regulation (1107/2009)
maintains a provision under which a pesticide can only be approved
at EU level if its use has no unacceptable effect on bee health
or bees, or leads to negligible exposure of honeybees, but it
adds that it is currently revising the data requirements for the
submission of pesticide dossiers to enhance the protection offered.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

The Commission notes that, although increased bee
mortality has been reported all over the world, no difference
has been reported between those areas where GMOs are extensively
cultivated and those where GMOs are much less common or cultivation
has been prohibited. It therefore cautions against any suggestion
that increased bee mortality is related to increased GMO cultivation,
and notes that EU legislation in this area contains a number of
safeguards.

Bees and biodiversity loss

The Commission observes that bee health is also affected
by biodiversity loss arising from land-use changes and mismanaged
intensification, as well as by the loss of traditional farming
practices, pollution and the spread of invasive species. It says
that it is promoting research on conservation, restoration and
sustainable use of pollinator diversity in agriculture, and that
there is growing evidence that bees with access to a mixture of
pollen from different plants are healthier than those fed only
one type of pollen. It also observes that the EU's Rural Development
Programmes offer a range of agri-environmental measures to encourage
biodiversity, and that attempts to meet the EU's more general
biodiversity target for 2020 are likely to have a beneficial effect
on bee health.

Common Agricultural Policy and bee health

The Commission notes that, in addition to environmental
measures, Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 establishing a
common market organisation of agricultural markets contains a
series of specific measures to support beekeeping, and that, if
included in apiculture programmes drawn up by Member States, these
may be eligible for part-financing by the EU. It adds that a report
which it presented earlier this year concluded that this mechanism
had been very beneficial to the beekeeping sector.

Research on bee health

The Commission says that the EU supports research
projects into bee health through its Seventh Framework Programme,
with about 10 million having already been dedicated to honeybees
and other pollinators, and current projects dealing with the decline
in both wild and domesticated pollinators (including honeybee
colonies) in Europe, its potential causes and the development
of appropriate diagnostic tools.

Communication on bee health issues

The Commission says that one of its key objectives
is to improve communication, and that it expects a recently developed
Commission internet page to serve as one of the focal points for
interested parties, offering sectoral information on a range of
activities and legislation regarding bee health, as well as links
to other relevant pages. It adds that it intends to hold further
discussions on how to improve its activities in this area.

Global link to international activities

The Commission observes that the World Organisation
for Animal Health (OIE) is the recognised standard setting body,
and recently issued a statement of bee health, proposing that
research into the causes of mortality in bees, and how to combat
diseases, should be intensified. Bee health also features in the
Organisation's Fifth Strategic Plan for 2011-15, and the Commission
says that it is cooperating closely with OIE on the exchange of
relevant scientific information.

The Government's view

12.6 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 21 December
2010, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for
Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Lord Henley) provides a
summary of the provisions in the Communication, but says that
it gives rise to no policy implications.

Conclusion

12.7 Although this Communication is not contentious,
it nevertheless deals with a subject of some public interest and
concern. Consequently, whilst we are content to clear it, we think
it right to draw it to the attention of the House.